Wishlist

It's been so long since I've done a wishlist. I used to do them monthly but haven't for a while now. With my birthday coming up I've been trying to think of things I want as I've been asked by a few people. So here's some of things I'm eyeing up at the moment. There are definitely a few if only I had lots of money pieces in here!!

First up is this gorgeous bag from Folli Follie, I love the soft grey/nude shade which will go with everything. I love an everyday hangbag to be simple and classic so I can get lots of use out of it. I love the little gold detailing to the bag and the plated handle!

I've never really browsed Stella and Dot but at the Cardiff Bloggers Meet we were given a brochure from Stella and Dot. Since then I've been browsing the website I love their pieces. This statement necklace is definitely one that really caught my eye. I love the colours!!

I absolutely love the Macadamia Natural Oil range and have used the oil and mask on and off now for about 4 years. The healing oil is one of my favourites and I'm lusting after the oil and deep repair mask. Both can be got from here.

The next one is definitely a dream piece but after watching Ultimate Shopper it's not left my head. It's a beautiful colour, beautiful draping and I love that it has sleeves. I have a winter wedding early next year this would be amazing for but I know it won't happen. You can get it here. It's the Karolina Dress form Bernshaw.

I'm absolutely loving Bioderma. I didn't expect to like it and kind of didn't want to but I am a huge fan after getting a few samples from Escentual. My favourite is the Sebium H20 version. It's currently on offer here.

I'm really missing my pink hair I had last year so I'd love to brave a wig for days when I want to be a bit different. I love the colour and style of this one from Annabelle's Wigs.

Next up is loads of dresses!! Everyone needs a good birthday dress right!? Here are some of my top picks!!

I've been eyeing up this one for a while. I'm a huge fan of lace but only when it's not the shiny cheap lace you seen everywhere. This is the Elizabeth Dress from Lydia Rose Bright's collection. I love how simple it is and the colour. I definitely think I could get away with wearing this to one of next years weddings with opaque tights

Next up is more lace dresses from Lipsy. I love both of these as the lace doesn't look tacky on them in my opinion. I also love that they are classic dresses that will last!! The first on is the Lipsy VIP waxed lace pencil dress and the second is the Lipsy VIP Lace Shift Dress. This also comes in white and grey.

These two are from AX Paris. The New Look in my town carries this range and I can usually find a dress I love on the rack. There is always something I want. I love the first dress. I've tried this on in Navy with cream crochet. It fitted amazing and made my waist look tiny. I really love the print on this style. This is the Floral Crochet Neck Skater Dress it also has a great back to it. The next dress is something really simple. I sometimes think less is a more and would love this for a night out with a statement necklace. This is the Long Sleeve V Front Dress.

Lastly are some dresses from George at Asda. Lately they seem to have some amazing dresses whenever I go shopping there. The first dress I absolutely love the simplicity of it. This is another wedding contender dress for me. Best of all as it's from George it's an absolute bargain. This is the Lace Panelled Bodycon Dress. I absolutely love the colour of this dress. Next is an amazing green dress. I'd love this for a night out. It has some mesh panelling to it so I'm not sure if a bra would show. Lastly is a dress I've been after for a while. I think an illusion dress would be really flattering on me figure and I love this one. This is the Bodysculpt Panelled Midi Dress. This dress has hidden support so I think it would be great on my pear shaped body.

Lastly I really need a new Pro Longwear foundation. This will probably one of the first things I buy when I finish project 10 pan. I'm really working hard to use up make up and I'm slowly getting there.

That was a long wishlist. What are you lusting over at the moment?

Love M

xxx

Review: Benefit's Stay Flawless Primer

I previously mentioned that I had attended Benefit's 'Stay Flawless' event in Bristol, and you can read the original post here.

Luckily for me and M, we share the same foundation colour even though were opposite in hair colour and MUA's often think I will be much darker on account of my almost black hair.
So basically my point is over the past few weeks we have both tested it out in various situations and have come up with the following review, hope you enjoy!



At the event I was lucky enough to be given not only the Stay Flawless Primer but also their infamous Hello Flawless foundation and their foundation brush, which was so exciting!



The brush is really light and your typical 'foundation' brush shape which I don't actually own at the moment. The brush was pretty good and easy to clean, it applied foundation quite easily but I did find it left a few brush marks on my face. I'm more used to using bigger brushes like RT's Buffing Brush, which probably just means I need to change my technique more than anything else!



So..onto the star of the show!



I loooooooooooooooooove the packaging of the primer and the foundation.

The primer, shown below, has beeeeeeeautiful monochrome polka dot packaging with silver and pink accents. With writing almost like a handwriting scrawl I'm in love and couldn't have designed it better myself. Fun but simple and very chic!



The primer is in a stick like product. I love this.

I like feeling like a 3 year old again stealing my mums lipstick and drawing on my face with it, which is basically what this feels like!

The instructions state that you draw all over your face in circular motions, then apply Hello Flawless as quickly as you can. This worried me initially as I wasn't sure what 'quickly' meant, but basically as long as you apply it straight after the primer you're fine and nothing crazy happens!



The primer is obviously easy to use and feels exactly like applying a balm or hydrating lipstick onto your face, if you get what I mean! It feels a little tacky but not too bad.

The shade that I was given was 'Believe in Me' Ivory. I think that giving shades names like this makes them so much more interesting and memorable, I've not forgotten the shade that I use after being colour matched for it!



Here's the blurb:



Lots of promises for a foundation!

After applying this over the primer I can agree that it is hydrating, luminous and brightening. You barely need anything from the bottle to apply to your entire face and I felt like it really did cover all of my flaws.

I also like that the foundation has SPF 25 so helps to protect against environmental effects.

You can see my pictures below where I only have the primer and foundation on. It applies pretty flawlessly and I think my skin looks brightened.

You can see in the pictures that the pores on my nose are only just visible, the bags under my eyes are covered and although I have scars on my face from acne you can't see them when this is applied.
As the foundation is so thin (runny if you like!) it blends without caking into your hairline and being blotchy.








This was all looking so promising for me and I was so impressed. Unfortunately for me however, after a few hours of wearing this the make up tended to slide and clump together on my face regardless of what i did. I always set my face with powder after and even used the Hello Flawless powder but this problem hasn't gone away.

I was full of hope when I wore it out to my first day at work but unfortunately I did have to sort my face out at lunch time where it had slid and I had to rebuff and repowder my base back to flawlessness. I think this is a lot to do with how my skin has changed and not necessarily just the primer/foundation combination.
When I wore it to the gym one day and did a body pump class, the make up actually fared pretty well, which just goes to show it can and does work! My make up honestly looked as fresh as it did when I applied it a few hours before and I was impressed as normally i come out looking like a sweaty tomato.

Having used it for a week before giving it to M to test, now I've got it back I plan on trying it out with different foundation and primer combos to see if it's just because of my skin (which is a constant issue for me anyway!) I feel that for my skin type I need a heavy duty absorbing primer for the foundation to stay for longer, and a drier foundation such as ColorStay for the primer to be at its best.

Fingers crossed this will solve my problems!

Have you tried Stay Flawless or Hello Flawless?? What did you think?


L xxx

The Hello Flawless foundation was one I'd wanted to try for a while. It seemed to boast everything you'd want from a foundation. SPF, oil free and brightening. When L told me she was lucky to get this at the event I was so disappointed my exams had meant I couldn't go.

She lent me the products to try for a couple of days to see how I got on with it. The foundation was a perfect match to my skin and blended in flawlessly. It has a really light texture and is quite a runny foundation, that provided a light natural coverage leaving my skin looking so healthy.

Unfortunately for me it just didn't last too well on my skin. I think me skin is too oily for this foundation even though it's oil free. I can see anyone with normal or dry skin absolutely loving the formula and finish of this. It left my skin with such a gorgeous healthy glow (without being glittery or shiny) I'm gutted it didn't last all day on me.

If any of you have found products to make this foundation last better on a oily complexion I'd love to know as I loved the finish.

Love M

xxx

Cold Turkey June

Good morning all!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was starting a spending ban for the entire of June, absolutely no spending whatsoever, so I thought I'd tell you how i was getting on so far and what I'm lusting after!

I feel that as I only have 3 posts to write a week it would be a waste to write about it weekly so every few weeks I'll give an update. I'm hoping to continue the ban further than June but at the rate my wishlist is increasing I'm not so sure that will be achievable!! Maybe I'll give myself a limit to spend at the end of June, and restart it again for July?!

I've so far not bought any cosmetics or products of any kind, so firstly lets congratulate me on that amazing feat! I'm actually enjoying using up my stash as I'm finding lots of half finished things that I can easily finish and get rid of, which is ultimately giving me more space that I desperately need.

I have however had to buy a few extra clothes for work, I did buy some initially that I thought would tide me over for a couple of months until I could justify buying more. But unfortunately as the lab is hot, long sleeved tops are out on account of having to wear lab coats, and vests aren't allowed cos of the whole bare shoulders/cleavage thing.

Sooooo I had to hot foot it into town and pick up some more tshirts that are acceptable in the work place.

The top 3 are all from New Look, and I managed to get them all for £5 when they had a 'Tshirts for £5' day and then student discount so that was pretty good!

The stripy tshirt is from Dorothy Perkins where I also picked up a black and white leopard print tshirt too, both were £10 and I got my 15% student discount too. So although I technically broke my 'no spending' rule it was pretty important to have clothes for work and I didn't stretch that out too far!

Obviously having been shopping I saw a massive amount of stuff that I want....siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.

Most importantly, I need some new trainers for the gym and I've also got my eyes on some Supra type trainers.

I've got my eye on a specific pair in particular that I'm sure you will have seen, but here's a photo collage of what I'm lusting after at the moment!

(none of these images are my own obviously! Otherwise they wouldn't be on my wishlist...but if you click on them it will take you to the original link, mostly from google)

Mmmm pink Nikes!!

Infamous Illamasqua Maneater lipstick, saw it, tried it, loved it, need it.

Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask, love in a product!

Naked 2, the only palette I'm missing from the Naked collection.

This is actually my image! Origins Make a Difference Gel really did make a difference, it's high on my wishlist again as a definite repurchase.

This is OPI Bond Girls Liquid Sand in Jinx, just look at that beautiful coral with gold shimmer. I have the miniature version which is not going to last at all, I need the full one!

I am hoping my American friend will be able to send me one over as a gift...but not too sure now the international rules have changed.

 

 

Following on from the OPI theme, I am still lusting after these 5 polishes from their Bond range back around Christmas. I need to get my hands on Moonraker, Die Another Day, Live and Let Die, Casino Royale and You Only Live Twice.

These have been on my list for so long that at the end of this month I think I'll have to purchase them just for sanity reasons!

What are you guys lusting after at the moment?

My brain has suddenly gone crazy lusting after everything I can't have.

I have £15 of Debenhams Beauty points to use by the end of this month....would you buy the Illamasqua Maneater lipstick, or the pricier Urban Decay Naked 2 palette?
I need somebody to decide for me!!!


Here's hoping that going 'Cold Turkey' will mean I can pay off my credit card bills and start afresh.

L xxx

NOTD: China Glaze - Flip Flop Fantasy

I don't know about you but I am a massive fan of brights nails for spring and summer.

Mostly I've worn pinks over the past few years but recently orange has made an appearance in my life, particularly neons!

Cue this beauty:

Flip Flop Fantasy (phew what a load of F's!) is a super popular nail polish from one of our favourite nail brands China Glaze. It is from their Spring/Summer 2012 range so has been out for a year but I was obviously way behind with this. 

Admittedly it applies a little streaky on the first coat, but the second seems to combat this 9 times out of ten, and once you've got the application right 2 coats is the perfect amount for this.

It's so beautifully bright but also complimentary for any skin tone I think.

I picked this up from Amazon for around £7 which is a pretty good price. Considering how wearable the colour is I'm going to bet that this will be my number one choice for summer!

The texture is so creamy it just looks amazing, a pastel neon is the only way I can describe it!

I love China Glaze not only for their beautiful colours but also that their polishes don't contain Toluene, DBP or added Formaldehyde and any chemical nasties removed is an added bonus!

I just wish they were easier to get a hold of in the UK!

What do you think of this colour? Are you a China Glaze fan?

L xxx